Why Shouldn't I?
by Fiona12690
Summary: I've saved this earth so many times for less reasons. Why shouldn't I save the one person who means the most to me? Janto One-shot, House of the Dead rewrite.


**Why Shouldn't I?**

**Summary:** I've saved this earth so many times for less reasons. Why shouldn't I save the one person who means the most to me?******Janto One-shot, House of the Dead rewrite.**

**A/N: I was pissed at how "House of the Dead" ended so I saved Ianto.**

Ianto turned away from Jack, glancing towards the darkness his father had disappeared into. Jack reached out and pulled Ianto around to face him and away from the darkness.

" You don't understand." Jack replied trying not to stutter. " I thought it would just look like you."

Ianto ripped his arm away from Jack, hissing: " It?"

" I could have cope with that." Jack explained sadly, " I didn't dream that it would actually be you. Syriath used my grief and she reached into time. She re-created you Ianto and I..." Jack let out a shuddering breath and took a step back. " I can't bare to look at you."

Jack averted his gaze to the wall fixtures to the left of his once dead lover.

Ianto could have run from the room and into the darkness, but deep down he knew if he did he might never see Jack ever again. He had to be brave. He had to... " You c...can't?" Ianto reached out for Jack with tears clouding his vision. He lifted his hand and his fingertips barely touched his lovers cheek before Jack flinched away from him. " J... Jack?"

Jack felt Ianto's fingertips against his cheek, he had expected them to be cold when he flinched, like most of the dead he had touched tonight, but shockingly they were warm. Ianto's voice broke through his thoughts. Jack turned his gaze back towards his lover. Ianto had taken many steps back in terror, had tears streaming down his face and he was silently crying.

" Sorry Ianto, I'm sorry. I..." Jack quickly shuffled closer, hand extended as if he was about to pull on Ianto's shirt and drag him into his arms, only this time it was Ianto's turn to flinch away.

" Don't!" Ianto bellowed, moving to the other side of the room. " Don't touch me. Don't!"

Jack's hand dropped to his side. " Ok..." he whispered.

Ianto needed to know. As hard as it was to ask, he needed to know. " How... how did I die?"

The Welshman watched as Jack leaned back against the wall behind him, weaving his fingers in his hair before grimacing. " It was all over so quickly..."

" Not an answer." Ianto growled. " Was it your fault?"

Jack felt his knees give out as Ianto asked the one question he knew he wouldn't be able to answer without lying. It wasn't as if his lovers tone was accusing or judgemental, it was just as innocent as the question being asked. " You were one of the first victims of an alien plague." Jack responded softly. " You were so brave. You died saving the world."

" You'd think I'd remember that," Ianto muttered sadly. " But I don't. Did I get a funeral?"

" I don't know," Jack admitted. " I wasn't there. I had to leave... I'm sorry."

" You couldn't leave me rest in peace?" Ianto questioned. He pulled Jack from the floor by his greatcoat in outrage. " You've done this to me! You've dragged me back just so you could say goodbye. This isn't about closing the rift, about destroying that creature or even your bloody stones!" Ianto cursed, pushing himself away from Jack in devastation. " It's not even about me. This, this is all about you, Jack."

Jack rushed forward, grabbing Ianto's arms turning him around and pushing the younger man back until he was against the wall, trapped. " Ianto, this isn't how I planned it."

" What were you hoping for? That I'd say a few nice words, that I'd be grateful?" Ianto spoke, his voice riddled with emotion.

Jack pushed his body against Ianto's forcing his lover closer to him and into the wall harder. Jack released one of Ianto's arms and gripped his chin, forcing Ianto to look at him in the eye and listen. " I just wanted to see you one more time, that's all! It's... it's why I came here."

" Well that's just lovely." Ianto pulled his chin out of Jack's grasp, but the rest of his body didn't get very far.

" Ianto!" Jack exclaimed trying to make his lover listen. " All of the people I've lost... don't you understand? The only one I wanted to see was you."

Ianto's eyes met Jack's. " Thanks... at least you didn't forget me."

Jack took Ianto's cheek in the palm of his hand, caressing it, using the other hand to grip Ianto's shirt. " How could I? I may be immortal, but I don't forget. I lose everyone, but I don't forget any of you. I work so hard to remember."

Anger tugged at Ianto's heart as he pushed Jack from him. " You make it sound like charity work!" he bellowed.

" Don't say that! Never say.. that!" Jack screamed. " I know I never said it properly before..."

Ianto cut him off. " It doesn't need saying Jack!"

" Yes it does!" Jack raged, his face deadly serious. " Ianto Jones, I love you." Jack surged forward again trying to make the younger man understand why he would come here. " I love you. I love you, so much. I have a chance. I saw it and I'm going to take it."

" Jack... what?"

" I have saved this earth so many times for less reasons. Why shouldn't I save the one person who means the most to me?" Jack replied, grinning selfishly.

" Jack, no. I belong here, in the house of the dead." Ianto stated firmly in disbelief. " With your device, closing the rift, saving the world."

" Just for once, let someone else deal with it!" Jack exclaimed, his voice full of exhaustion. Jack took Ianto's hand in his.

" Jack, if we go through that door we'll be back in the real world." Ianto spoke. " We can never come back."

" Why would I want too? I'd have you, Ianto."

Ianto looked away, " What if I vanish?"

Jack wrapped his arms around Ianto, kissing him passionately as if it would be the last time. " That's no excuse for not trying."

Jack lead them to the door, their hands gripping each others tightly. Jack turned to his left. " Let's do this, Ianto, be brave."

Ianto looked at Jack smiling, " Always, sir."

And they took the first step together.

**END**


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